“Although B. miyamotoi has been identified in ticks in California for more than 20 years, locally acquired human cases within the western United States have not been described [in the literature],” according to Rubio et al. In this case report, the authors describe an immunocompromised man living in California diagnosed with Borrelia miyamotoi infection.¹ The […]

In their article “Supportive Oligonucleotide Therapy (SOT) as a Potential Treatment for Viral Infections and Lyme Disease: Preliminary Results,” Apostolou and colleagues describe findings from a study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of SOT in 115 patients with either Epstein–Barr (EBV), Herpes Simplex Virus or Lyme Disease.¹ Oligonucleotide was administered intravenously to the participants and […]

In their study, “Impacts Over Time of Neighborhood-Scale Interventions to Control Ticks and Tick-Borne Disease Incidence,” Ostfeld and colleagues examined the effectiveness of tick control methods in 24 residential neighborhoods endemic for Lyme disease in New York.¹ The study, conducted over several years, assessed the impact of tick control system (TCS) bait boxes and Met52 […]

However, the authors of a new case report suggest that for some Lyme carditis patients, placement of a temporary permanent pacemaker (TPPM) may be an effective and safe alternative. In their article, “A Practical Ambulatory Approach to Atrioventricular Block Secondary to Lyme Carditis,” Aromin and colleagues describe the case of a 31-year-old man who presented […]

So, how prepared are medical students to properly diagnose patients of all races and ethnicities? Do they have the diagnostic ability and confidence in making a diagnosis, such as Lyme disease, for individuals with non-white skin color? In the study, “The impact of patient skin colour on diagnostic ability and confidence of medical students,” Dodd […]

Alpha-gal syndrome typically presents with abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea or vomiting. But it can also lead to swelling of the face or throat, voice changes, difficulty breathing, hives, or fainting, according to recent article “AGA Clinical Practice Update on Alpha-Gal Syndrome for the GI Clinician: Commentary,” by McGill and colleagues.¹ According to the authors, the […]

In their article “Case report: Subacute transverse myelitis with gait preservation secondary to Lyme disease and a review of the literature,” Colot and colleagues describe a 10-year-old boy who suffered from neck pain with irradiation in the upper limbs for 13 days. Transverse myelitis (TM) is an inflammation of both sides of one section of […]

Two Cases Profiles in Lyme disease – Sophie Profiles in Lyme disease – Ira 17 minute introduction to Lyme disease Lyme 101: an introduction (4 minutes) Symptoms and manifestations of Lyme disease (4 min) Co-infections (5 min) Treatment decisions (4 min) Top blogs Babesia and Lyme, It’ s worst than you think What does a […]

Orbital myositis is typically caused by systemic disease, such as Grave’s disease, or haematological disorders like lymphomas, the authors explain. In these cases, myositis is often bilateral. It has been reported, as well, as a rare manifestation of Lyme disease. In these two cases, myositis was confirmed by MRI findings. Patient #1: 68-year-old female “The […]

The authors describe a 70-year-old male who presented to the hospital without any typical Lyme disease symptoms, but exhibited generalized symptoms of progressive orthopnea and dyspnea on exertion. The man had a medical history of hypertension and calcific aortic stenosis. His lab results were “significant for an increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate of 136, white blood […]

In an effort to better understand their significance, Corak and colleagues “grew B. burgdorferi spirochete, round body, bleb, and biofilm-dominated cultures and recovered their transcriptomes by RNAseq profiling.” Their non-spirochete morphotypes were induced by simple changes in growth conditions. The authors described three pleomorphic forms as follows: “Spherical B. burgdorferi cells with intact and flexible […]

In their study “Efficacy and safety of antibiotic therapy for post-Lyme disease? A systematic review and network meta-analysis,” Zhang and colleagues described a meta-analysis review of four Randomized Clinical Trials (RCT) addressing Post-Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome.¹ The four randomized controlled trials included 485 subjects who met the following inclusion criteria: Randomized controlled trials Patients with […]

The authors explain, “Immunocompetent, and otherwise healthy, patients present with milder, flu-like symptoms: fever, fatigue, sleepiness, chills, muscle and joint stiffness, aches and pains, and nausea.” And, “While uncommon, relapses of febrile episodes can occur.” In fact, the symptoms may be mild enough that an individual with Borrelia miyamotoi disease may not seek medical care. However, […]

Now, investigators have identified the Heartland virus in the Maryland and Virginia region – an area where the virus is not widely recognized. In their article “Fatal Case of Heartland Virus Disease Acquired in the Mid-Atlantic Region, United States,”¹ Liu and colleagues describe the fatal case of a man in his 60’s who acquired the […]

In their article “Borrelia miyamotoi: A Comprehensive Review. Pathogens,” Cleveland and colleagues discuss Borrelia miyamotoi as an emerging tick-borne pathogen and and how it can be transmitted from a mother tick to their offspring. Cleveland et al. reviewed the proposed vertical transmission of B. miyamotoi.¹ An adult female tick infected with B. miyamotoi lays eggs. […]